Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Westborough, MA and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $2,107 a month against $2,754 in Westborough, MA, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Westborough, MA, United States
San Jose, Costa Rica
Westborough, MA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,754
/mo nomad
San Jose
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$2,107
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Westborough, MA and in San Jose

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Westborough, MA and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,754 per month in Westborough, MA vs $2,107 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Westborough, MA $2,754
  • San Jose $2,107

A couple spends around $3,850 per month in Westborough, MA vs $3,081 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Westborough, MA $3,850
  • San Jose $3,081

A family of three spends $4,946 per month in Westborough, MA vs $4,054 in San Jose, rent included.

  • Westborough, MA $4,946
  • San Jose $4,054

Westborough, MA costs about 31% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Westborough, MA and San Jose sit above the global median – Westborough, MA by 104%, San Jose by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.65 $19.65
$12.37 ₡5,563
58.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5 $74.5
$62.4 ₡28.0K
19.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.94 $12.94
$11.71 ₡5,264
10.50%
Cappuccino
$5.18 $5.18
$4.54 ₡2,040
14.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 $2.89
$2.75 ₡1,238
5.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.86 ₡837
32.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.12 $6.12
$3.35 ₡1,505
82.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.33 $8.33
$4.32 ₡1,944
92.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$2.36 ₡1,061
-57.63%
White Bread (500g)
$4.36 $4.36
$3.07 ₡1,379
42.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.41 $4.41
$2.51 ₡1,128
75.70%
Eggs
$6.38 $6.38
$3.53 ₡1,585
80.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.54 $10.54
$10.54 ₡4,738
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.66 $10.66
$10.57 ₡4,754
0.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.70 $18.70
$13.92 ₡6,261
34.34%
Apples (1kg)
$5.45 $5.45
$5.20 ₡2,338
4.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.65 ₡740
-3.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$4.89 ₡2,198
-33.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 $3.13
$3.84 ₡1,728
-18.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.91 ₡1,757
-42.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 $2.49
$3.76 ₡1,692
-33.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.12 ₡504
140.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.96 $2.96
$3.22 ₡1,447
-8.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.84 $13.84
$6.02 ₡2,706
129.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.79 $16.79
$19.84 ₡8,919
-15.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$2.81 ₡1,264
-34.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.65 ₡1,643
-25.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.08 ₡487
84.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.5 $68.5
$65.2 ₡29.3K
5.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.80 $3.80
$2.26 ₡1,018
68.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.78 ₡799
24.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$48.43 $48.43
$7.90 ₡3,551
513.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.50 ₡673
-28.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$33.5K ₡15.1M
-17.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$42.3K ₡19.0M
-37.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 $196
$93.2 ₡41.9K
109.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.93 $36.93
$36.13 ₡16.2K
2.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.6 $62.6
$60.6 ₡27.2K
3.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.94 $38.94
$68.9 ₡31.0K
-43.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.94 ₡11.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.26 $12.26
$7.67 ₡3,449
59.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,145 $2,145
$972 ₡436.9K
120.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.7K $33.7K
$18.9K ₡8.5M
78.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.11 $39.11
$70.6 ₡31.8K
-44.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.09 $16.09
$56.7 ₡25.5K
-71.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 $99.8
$129 ₡57.8K
-22.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 $126
$131 ₡58.8K
-4.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,416 $1,416
$1,170 ₡525.9K
21.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,441 $1,441
$943 ₡424.1K
52.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,455 $2,455
$1,984 ₡892.0K
23.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,055 $2,055
$1,400 ₡629.5K
46.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,232 $3,232
$2,681 ₡1.2M
20.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,421 $2,421
$2,037 ₡915.8K
18.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Westborough, MA
San Jose
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$987 ₡443.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
8.62
-24.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Westborough, MA: November 1, 2026

Last update for San Jose: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Westborough, MA
$1.4K
San Jose
$943 34.6% $498
Groceries & Markets
Westborough, MA
$410
San Jose
$403 1.7% $6.8
Eating Out
Westborough, MA
$327
San Jose
$232 28.9% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Westborough, MA
$295
San Jose
$190 35.6% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Westborough, MA
$126
San Jose
$174 37.9% $48
Getting Around
Westborough, MA
$91
San Jose
$81 11.6% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Westborough, MA
$63
San Jose
$84 32.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,416 in Westborough, MA versus $1,170 in San Jose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Westborough, MA versus $62 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $403 – making San Jose the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Westborough, MA
🇨🇷 San Jose
🕒 Local time
16:57 4:57 PM
15:57 3:57 PM
1 h behind Westborough, MA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,634
342,188 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 502 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.99 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Westborough, MA San Jose 3,800 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Westborough, MA
  • San Jose

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Westborough, MA vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Jose cheaper than Westborough, MA?
Yes – Westborough, MA is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,131 per month in Westborough, MA and $3,161 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,170 there versus $1,416 in Westborough, MA.
What are total monthly expenses in Westborough, MA and in San Jose?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,754 in Westborough, MA and $2,107 in San Jose. That makes San Jose about 23% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,145 per month in Westborough, MA and $972 in San Jose. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Westborough, MA or in San Jose?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Westborough, MA at $2,754. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in Westborough, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Westborough, MA or San Jose more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward San Jose – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Westborough, MA vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?